USS Montauk (1862)

The first USS "Montauk" was a single-turreted monitor in the United States Navy during the American Civil War.

It saw action throughout the war and was used as the floating prison for the conspirators in the Abraham Lincoln assassination and was the site of the autopsy and identification of assassin John Wilkes Booth.

"Montauk" (named for Montauk, New York) was built by John Ericsson at Continental Iron Works, Greenpoint, Brooklyn; launched 9 October 1862; and commissioned at New York 14 December 1862, Commander John L. Worden in command.

A principal ironclad in the naval attack on Charleston, South Carolina, "Montauk" departed New York 24 December 1862, arriving Port Royal 19 January 1863 to join the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron. Taking advantage of the opportunity to test the ironclads 27 January, Rear Admiral Samuel F. Du Pont sent "Montauk", "Seneca", "Wissahickon", "Dawn" and "C. P. Williams" to bombard Fort McAllister, Georgia. Although hit 13 or 14 times, "Montauk" was undamaged. The ironclads made a second attack 1 February, badly battering the fort; but "Montauk" was hit 48 times. She destroyed blockade runner "Rattlesnake" 28 February in Ogeechee River but was herself damaged by a torpedo (mine) which exploded under her.

"Montauk" steamed into North Edison River 1 April in preparation for the attack on Charleston. At midafternoon on the 7th, Admiral Du Pont’s ironclads attacked Fort Sumter. The Union ships braved intense fire from Confederates coast artillery, and kept their own guns operating effectively until withdrawing toward evening. Damage to the monitors prevented Du Pont from resuming the attack the next day.

The ironclads launched an attack on Fort Wagner, Morris Island 10 July. Gaining of this island was important as success would permit access to the interior defenses of Charleston Harbor. Assuming command of the naval forces, John Dahlgren boarded "Montauk" 16 July and after consultation with the captains, renewed the attack on Fort Wagner and bombarded it daily until it was evacuated by the Confederates 6 September. The ships then turned their attention to Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie operating for the rest of the year against these fortifications which guarded the Cradle of the Rebellion. However, the Confederate works were never to be taken by sea.

"Montauk" remained off Charleston until July 1864 when she shifted operations to the Stono River. In February 1865, she transferred to the Cape Fear River. Proceeding to the Washington Navy Yard after the end of the conflict, she served as a floating bier for assassin John Wilkes Booth 27 April and a floating prison for six accomplices.

Decommissioning occurred at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1865. She remained there until sold to Frank Samuel 14 April 1904, except for a stint from May 1898 to March 1899 when she served with a crew primarily of local naval reservists to protect the harbor of Portland, Maine during the Spanish-American War.

References

*DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/m14/montauk-i.htm
*"Additional technical data from" cite book
last = Gardiner
first = Robert
coauthors =
title = Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1860-1905
publisher = Conway Maritime Press
year = 1979
pages = p. 120
month =
isbn = 0 85177 133 5
*cite journal | author=Joshua F. Moore| authorlink=Joshua F. Moore| title=what's in a picture?| journal=Down East | month=May | year=2006 | pages=136

External links

* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/01/montauk.htm navsource.org: USS "Montauk"]
* [http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/monitors/montauk.htm hazegray.org: USS "Montauk"]